Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-08
WHAT HE THINKS OF THE LATE
MESSAGE.
A Verbatim Report Of Converse
ton With the Great Re-
publican Statesman.
President Cleveland Shown to he Quite
Shallow on the Absorbing
Subject of How to Reduce
Taxation.
Blaine's Idea OF greeing Tobacco From
Internal DutieS-The Whisky
Tax to be Used for Build
ing Coast DefenSeS.

New YORK, Dec THE Tribune tomor
row will contain a long interview with
Hon. James G.. Blaine on President Cleve-
lands message. 1t was taken in short
hand under the direction of the Tribune's
Paris correspondent and sent by cable to-
night. 1t is as follows:
81 have been reading an abstract of the
presidents message and have been especi-
ally interested IN the comments of the
London papers Those papers all assume
to declare the message is free trade mani
festo and evidently are antlclpa-
ting an enlarged market for
English fabrics in the United
States as a consequence of the presidents
recommendations. Perhaps that fact
stamped the character of the message
more clearly than any words OF mine
can"
''You don't mean actual free trade with
out duty?" queeried the reporter.
No" replied Mr.. Blaine nor do the Lon
don papers mean that. They simply mean
that the president has recommended what
in the United States is known rs revenue
tariff, rejecting the protective feature as an
object, and not even permitting protection
TO result freely as an incident to revenue
duti es."
81 don't know that | quite comprehend
that last, said the reporter.
Il mean" said Mr. Blaine, that for the
first time in the history of the United
States the president recommends retain
ing the internal tax in order that the tar
if may be forced down even below the
fair revenue standard. He recommends
that the tax on tobacco be retained, and
thus that many millions annually shall
he levied on a domestic product which
would far better come from tariff on
foreign fabrics" 9.
''Then do you mean to imply that You
would favor the repeal of the tobacco
tax" Certainly; mean just that, said
Mr.. Blaine. Il should urge that at once,
before the Christmas holidays. 1t would.
in the first place, bring great relief to
growers of tobacco all over the country,
and would materially lessen the price of
the article to consumers. Tobacco, to
millions of men is a necessity.
The president calls it "A lux
ury, but it is a luxury in no other sense
than tea and coffee are Injuries. il is well
to remember that a luxury OF yesterday
becomes necessity Of today. Watch, if
you please, the number of men at work on
the farm. in the coal mine, along the rail
roads, in the iron foundry or in any calling.
and you Will find ninety-five out of 100
chewing while at work. After each meal
the same proportion seek the sOlace of a
pipe or a cigar These not only pay
the q millions OF the tobacco tax.
but pay on every ping and ever cigar an
enhanced price which the tax enables the
manufacturer and retailer TO impose The
only excuse rOr such tax is the actual ne
cessity under which the government
found itself during The war, and the years
Immediately following TO retain the tax
now in order to destroy the protection
which would incidentally flow from rails
ing the same amount of money on foreign
imports, is certainly a most extraordinary
policy for our government.
well then, Mr. Blaine would you adj
wise the repeal of the whisky tax"
mo; | would not. Other considerations
than those of financial administration are
TO be taken into account, with regard to
whisky. There is moral side to it. To
cheaper the price of the whisky is to in
crease the consumption enormously. There
would be no sense in urging the reform
wrought by high license in many states
If the national government nutraliZe it
the good effect by making whisky within
the reach of every one at twenty cents
gallon. Whisky would be everywhere
distilled if the surveillance OF the govern
ment were withdrawn by the remission of
the tax, and illicit sales could not then be
prevented even by a policy as v5-Arous and
searching as that with which Russia pur-
sues the nihiliStS 1t would DESTROY high
license at once in all the states Whisky
has done vast deal of harm in the United
L
good | would use the tax to
satisfy our cities on the sea
board. In view of the powerful letter
addressed to the Democratic party on the
subject of fortiticarion by the late Mr..
Samuel j. 1ilden, in 1885, | am amazed
that no attention has been paid to the sub
ject by the Democratic administration.
Never before in the history of the world
has any government allowed great cities
on the seaboard like Philadelphia, New
York, Boston. Baltimore. New Orleans
and san Francisco TO remain defenSeless.
But" said the reporter, you don't
think we are 10 have war in any direc-
tom
Certainly not" said Mr.. Blaine.
Neither, presume, did Mr. Tilden when
he wrote has remarkable letter But we
should change a remote chance into an
lmposslbility. If our weak and eNnoSed
points were strongly fortified: If today we
had by any chance even such war as We
had with Mexico, our enemy could procure
lron clads IN Europe that would menace
our great cities with destruction or lay
them under contribution"
"But would not our fortifying now posi-
bly, look rs If we expected war;
Nv hat should II be more than the forti-
hcatlons made seventy or eighty years ago
10y oUr grandtathers, when they guarded
themselves against q successful attack
don necessarily expect a burglar because
we lock our doors at night, but if. by any
possibility burglar comes, ii contributes
vas iy 10 our peace of mind and our sleep
to fee that he can't get in
But after Notifications should be con-
structed would you still maintain the tax
on whisky
~ es. " said Mr.. Blaine so long as there
is whisky 10 tax, would tax il: and when
the national government should have no
Use for the money would divide the tax
among the federal union with the
specific object OF tightening the
a 5aS on Farms real Of estate Houses
country pay too large proportion OF the
total lanes. il ultimate relief could be
given IN that direction il would. IN my
Judgment, be a wise and beneticient policy
Some honest bat misguided friends oi
temperance have urged that the govern
ment should not use the money derived
from the tax on whisky. My reply is that
the tax on whisky 10y the federal govern
hent, with Its suppression of all illicit dis
tlilatlon and the consequent enhancement
81 Its price, has been a powerful agent in
the temperance reform 10y putting il be
yond the reach OF 81 many. The amount
OF WHISKY consumed in the United States
per canita today Is not more than 40 per
cent OF that consumed thirty years agoh
Besides your general and sweeping Oh
position to the president recouimenda-
uon, have You any further specific obiec-
objections
es: answered Mr.. Blaine: Il Shoul1
seriously oOlect 10 the repeal of the duty
on WOOL. the repeal thar would work
great injustice 10 many interests ana
would seriously discourage that We shopl,I
ca hestiy encourage, namely. the Sheep
culture among farmers Throughout tb,.
mon. To break down wool growing and
pe dependent on foreign countries f0r the
ulahAeI under which we sleep and the
coat that covers orr hacks !. nj !. -.